Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Initial Notes
• Run Grimdark/ Horror style (Dark/Foreboding/Creepy)
• Run Like Haven TV Series (Troubled/Afflicted/Twisted People)
• Monster Hunter Style (L&G Weathermay-Foxgrove Sisters)
• Cant escape until a Darklord give a Scroll of Passage
Fear, Horror, Madness and Poison Checks
Fear Check DC (WIS Check)
8+Monsters Total Hit Die+CHA Modifiers+Fear Modifiers
Horror Check DC (CHA Check)
DC set by situation
Madness Checks DC (WIS or CHA Check) (PG 259 DMG)
DC set by situation
Poison Check DC (CON Check)
DC set by poison type
Do Make a Check
Unknown Foe. When the character is unaware of the nature of their enemy, or is mistaken regarding its nature. This check
is made when the mistake becomes apparent.
Unprepared. If confronted by something that the character does not feel ready, prepared, or equipped to fight. The check is
made when the lack of preparation becomes apparent.
Deadly Enemy. If a character has fought a foe before and been easily defeated, they still have to make a Fear check when
confronting it. This applies even if they know its true nature and are prepared. The check is made when the foe is
identified.
Surprised. Being surprised is shocking and often calls for a Fear check. The check is made at the beginning of the first
round of combat.
Do not Make a Check
Well Known Critter. If the character is facing something that is similar to something they have previously defeated, then
they do not require a Fear check.
Prepared. If a character has planned for the encounter and feels ready to fight, they do not require a Fear check.
Out of combat. Fear is not meant to be used outside of combat encounters. The Horror checks more appropriate for
roleplaying scenarios.
Frightened Monsters. In rare situations it might even be appropriate to have opponents be frightened. To determine
whether a creature or group of creatures flees out of fear, the DM is encouraged to use the alternative rules of Morale,as
presented in Chapter 9 of the Dungeon Masters Guide
Determining Advantage and Disadvantage
When a Fear save is prompted by a menacing creature, the DM must also determine if circumstances also affect the
situation when this check is factored. Thus a menacing situation might affect the result of the Fear check without affecting
the DC target number.
The following situations grant Advantage to a Fear Saving Throw:
Character or ally possesses something that has proven to be useful against the threat.
A loved one or an innocent is endangered.
Character has defeated a similar threat in the past.
Character is in close quarters (no place to run).
Failure Results
Minor Effect: Shaken. The character suffers a -2 morale penalty to attack rolls, checks, and saves.
Moderate Effect: Frightened. The character is shaken and flees as well as she can. She can fight to defend herself if unable
to flee. A frightened character can use special abilities, including spells, to flee; indeed, she must use such means if they are
the only way to escape.
Major Effect: Panicked. The character suffers a -2 morale penalty on saving throws and must flee. She has a 50% chance
to drop what she's holding, chooses her path randomly (as long as she escapes from immediate danger), and flees any other
dangers that confront her. If cornered, she cowers. A panicked character may use a special ability or spell to escape. If the
character fails the Fear save by 16+ points, she is panicked and must make an immediate Horror save (DC = failed Fear
save DC - 5).
Additional Failures: Fear effects stack. A shaken character who fails another Fear save becomes frightened. A frightened
character who fails another Fear save becomes panicked.
Recovering from Fear
Fear effects last 5d6 rounds. Certain spell effects (such as modify memory or remove fear)
can remove all Fear effects.
Horror Save Triggers
DC Horrific Scene
5 Signs of violence (a dry ing pool of blood, a splintered door, etc.).
8 A decaying body.
10 A scene of pain or suffering (a beggar ravaged by disease; a doctor sewing wounds shut).
12 A freshly slain corpse.
15 A scene of terrible agony (torture, involuntary transformation).
20 A scene of evil, cruelty, and madness (finding dismembered bodies that have been turned into
marionettes).
25 Malign paradigm shift (see below)**
**A "malign paradigm shift" is a situation in which a character discovers that an important element of the surroundings is
not only drastically "wrong," it has been so all along, unbeknownst to the character. Examples include PCs realizing that
they are the only people in a crowded inn who aren't evil shapeshifters, or discovering that the carriers of a plague epidemic
are actually all the victims of rampant vampiric feeding — and are still under the vampires' control.
Failure Results
If a character fails a Horror save, the player should roll 1d4 and compare it to the effect category to select a specific
symptom of Horror. If a character fails a Horror save by 16+ points, he suffers a major Horror effect and must make an
immediate Madness save (at DC = Horror save DC -5).
Player Tips: You can speed up Horror saves by rolling the d20 and the d4 at the same time — if you succeed at the Horror
save, you can just ignore the d4 roll. Alternatively, if you and the DM both agree that a Horror effect in the category you
rolled is particularly suited to the scene, you can ignore the d4 roll and simply choose that
effect.
DM Tip: When a character fails a Horror save, make a note of the cause of the failed check, the failed save's DC, and the
date in your campaign's calendar (a sample note might read: "Rotting body,Oct. 31, DC 8."). Horror saves have long-term
results, and this information will come in handy later for recovery checks.
Minor Horror Effects
1d4 Effect
1 Aversion
2 Fearstruck
3 Frozen
4 Nausea
Moderate Horror Effects
1d4 Effect
1 Nightmares
2 Obsession
3 Rage
4 Revulsion
Major Horror Effects
1d4 Effect
1 Fascination
2 Haunted
3 Mental Shock
4 System Shock
Aversion: The character is frightened. Although the Fear effect has a duration of only 5d6 rounds, for as long as the
character suffers from this Horror effect he is automatically shaken whenever he comes within 50 feet of the location where
he failed this Horror save or any identical places.
Fearstruck: The character is panicked. This Fear effect lasts 5d6 rounds, but the character suffers no further effects.
Frozen: The character is momentarily overwhelmed by the scene before him and can take no action for three rounds. He is
considered flatfooted for the duration.
Nausea: The sight causes the character to become physically ill. He suffers an effective decrease of 1d4+l points of
Constitution. For an equal number of rounds, he cannot cast spells and can take only partial actions as he struggles to retain
his last meal. The character regains these lost Constitution points at the rate of 1 per hour.
Nightmares: For the moment, the character is merely shaken. This Fear effect lasts 5d6 rounds. However, the next time the
character tries to go to sleep, the horrific events of this scene will play themselves out again in his mind, causing the
character to wake with a scream after only 5d6 minutes. The nightmares return every time he tries to sleep, preventing rest.
For as long as this Horror effect lasts, the character cannot regain arcane spells, and each full day without rest incurs a
cumulative -1 morale penalty to all attack rolls, saves, and checks, to a -4 maximum penalty. Lack of sleep also erodes the
character's health. Without rest, he cannot regain hit points through natural healing. Sleep can grant dreamless rest, allowing
the character to regain spells and negate accumulated penalties. If the character does not receive a sleep spell every night,
however, the nightmares begin
again. Elves neither truly sleep nor dream and thus are immune to this effect; players of elven characters should reroll the d4
or choose another moderate effect instead.
Obsession: The character is unable to shake this horrific memory. He continually replays the events in his mind, mumbles
about them under his breath, and tries to bring all conversations back to this terrible topic. His obsessed mind becomes
clouded, and he seldom sleeps. With each day of restless obsession, he suffers a cumulative -1 morale penalty to initiative
and Listen, Search, and Spot checks, to a maximum penalty of -4. The character ignores his health while obsessed. He
cannot regain hit points through natural healing, and each full week without rest also inflicts 1 point of effective
Constitution decrease. Once the character recovers from Obsession, lost Constitution points return at the rate of 1 per day.
(See "Recovering from Failure," below.)
Rage: The character's mind is overwhelmed by a primitive, mindless fury directed toward the source of horror. He must
drop anything in his hands that is not a weapon, then rush forward to attack the object of his hatred in melee. This blind fury
acts as a barbarian's rage ability, with the following exceptions: unlike a barbarian, the character is not in control of his
actions. He cannot retreat from battle and will not stop attacking the subject of his rage even if it is destroyed. He must also
move toward the subject using the most direct route, even if this means passing through threatened areas. If anyone — even
an ally — tries to block his path and he cannot move around, he must fight his way through the obstacle. The rage lasts a
number of rounds equal to 3 + the character's (heightened) Constitution modifier. When the rage ends, the character regains
control of his actions, but he is fatigued (as detailed under the Barbarian in the Player's Handbook).
Revulsion: Works as Aversion, except that the character is shaken if exposed to anything that merely reminds him of the
horror scene. A character horrified by a vampire attack may suffer repulsion upon seeing a large swarm of bats or hearing
the conversational mention of a vampire, for example.
Fascination: The character develops a morbid fascination with the scene. This obsession becomes so overpowering that it
warps the character's personality. In the fascinated character's mind, the source of the horror effect becomes more and more
powerful. The fascinated character may eventually believe that the source is omnipotent; he may even revere it. As an
example, a character who becomes fascinated after witnessing a vampire draining the blood from a victim may seek out that
vampire and offer his servitude. As the fascinated character warps himself into a willing slave of his own horror, he suffers a
cumulative, effective drain of 1 point each from Wisdom and Charisma each week. If either score drops below 3, the
character becomes a lost one (see "Additional Failures" under "Madness Saves"). Once the character recovers from
Fascination, lost Wisdom and Charisma points return at the rate of 1 each per day.
Haunted: Witnessing the horrific scene shatters the character's ability to see any good in the world. He suffers the
Obsession effect and also suffers 1d6+l points of effective Charisma decrease as his spirit becomes hardened and
withdrawn. Once the character recovers from the Haunted effect, lost Constitution and Charisma points return at the rate of
1 each per day.
Mental Shock: The character's mind simply shuts down, unable to comprehend what it is witnessing. While suffering from
mental shock, the character can take no actions and is considered flatfooted. He will walk if dragged along but cannot run.
Mental shock lasts three rounds. At the end of that duration, the character must make another Horror save at the same DC to
escape the effects. If he fails, the effects persist, but he can retry the saving throw once every three rounds until he succeeds.
If the horrific scene is no longer present, the character gains a cumulative +1 morale bonus to each retry until he succeeds.
System Shock: The shock proves to be too much for the character's heart; he must make an immediate Fortitude save
against the same DC or suffer 3d6 points of temporary Constitution damage.
Additional Failures
Some Horror effects (such as Rage or Mental Shock) have outburst durations that can be measured in rounds, but all Horror
effects actually linger for days. (See "Recovering from Horror" for long-term durations.) A character can carry only a single
Horror effect at a time. If a subsequent failed Horror save indicates a result of equal or lesser severity, use another outburst
of the existing effect. If a failed Horror save indicates a result of greater severity,
remove the existing effect and default to the greater one instead. Horror effects do not stack. Examples: Radford fails a
Horror save, resulting in Rage (a moderate effect with a duration of two weeks). During these two weeks, any additional
failed Horror saves indicating a minor or moderate effect automatically default to another bout of Rage. If Radford's player
fails a Horror save indicating a major result, then determine it normally. In this case, a d4 roll comes up with Haunted. The
Rage effect is then removed, and Haunted becomes the new default. Horror effect durations superimpose; the duration is
measured from the time of the latest failed Horror save.
Recovering from Horror
Minor Horror effects last one week. Moderate effects last two weeks. Major effects last thirty days. At the end of this
duration, the character rolls a recovery check (a Horror save). Use the DC of the original Horror save with a -2 morale
bonus, since time and distance heal all wounds. If the character succeeds at this check, the Horror effect is removed. If she
fails, the Horror effect persists for another duration period. A character can retry failed Horror recovery checks each time
she reaches the end of a duration period. The -2 DC modifier is cumulative with each attempt. Example: George makes a
Horror save (DC 18), with his result a 14: a failure. Since George
failed by four points (18 - 14 = 4), this results in a minor effect. After one week, he can make a recovery check at DC 16
(DC 18 - 2) to shake off the effects. If George fails this save, he can try again in another week at DC 14 (DC 18 - 4), and so
on, until he succeeds. Numerous spells and magical effects (such as modify memory or remove fear) can also remove all
Horror effects.
Dementlieu
CL: Renissance
Darklord: Dominic d'Honaire, L7 Sorcerer, Human, M, NE, AC 14, HP 50, 1 ATT
Necropolis
CL: West-Renissance/ East-Dark Ages
Darklord: None, was Azalin
Falkovnia
CL: Medieval
Darklord: Vlad Drakov, L15 Fighter, Human, M, NE, AC 18, HP 96, 2 ATT (4 w/ Magic Items)
Keening
CL: NIL (Undead)
Darklord: Tritessa, Banshee, CE, AC 20, HP 74, 1 ATT
Tepest
CL: Early Medieval
Darklord: Laveeda, Annis Hag, CE, AC 20, HP 78, 3 ATT
Leticia, Sea Hag, CE, AC 18, HP 55, 2 ATT
Lorinda, Green Hag, CE, AC 22, HP 95, 2 ATT
Mordent
CL: Renissance
Darklord: Lord Wifred Godefroy, Ghost (Human, Male), CE, AC 20, HP 50, 1 ATT
Valachan
CL: Medieval
Darlord: Baron Urik von Kharkon, Nosferatu Vampire, M, LE, AC 19, HP 60, 2 ATT
Richemulot
CL: Chivalric
Darklord: Jacqueline Renier, Wererat/Human Female, CE, AC 12, HP 26, 1 ATT
Verbrek
CL: Medieval
Darklord: Alfred Timothy, L6 Werewolf Priest, LE, AC 14, HP 55, 2 ATT
Sithicus
CL: Medieval
Darklord: Lord Soth, Death Knight, CE, AC 23, HP 110, 3 ATT
Invidia
CL: Chivalric
Darklord: Gabrielle Aderre, L8 Sorcerer, Half Vistani, Female, NE, AC 11, HP 34, 1 ATT
Borea
CL: Chivalric
Darklord: Ivana Boritsi, Human, Female, CE, AC 11, HP 22, 1 ATT
Barovia
CL: Medieval
Darklord: Count Strahd von Zarovich, Vampire, SEE CURSE OF STRAHD STATS
Kartakass
CL: Medieval
Darklord: Harkon Lukas, L7 Wolfwere Bard, Male, NE, AC 12, HP 45, 1 ATT
Forlorn
CL: Iron Age
Darklord: Tristen ApBlanc, L4 Ghost/L4 Vampire, Male, NE, AC 20, HP 98, 1 ATT (G) 3 ATT (V)
Hazlan
CL: Medieval
Darklord: Hazlik, L12 Sorcerer, Human, Male, CE, AC 11, HP 55, 1 ATT
Nova Vassa
CL: Medieval/ Chivalric
Darklord: Sir Tristen Hiregaard/Malken, L8 Fighter, Human, Male, LN/CE, AC 18, HP 89, 3 ATT
Kalidnay (Island)
CL: Classical
Darklord: L12 Cleric/L 12 Psionic, Half Elf, Female, LE, AC 12, HP 165, 2 ATT
The Mists
When teleported by the Mists, any PCs only have access to what they were carrying at the time.
Anything left at a Home or Chest cannot be accessed!!
Weapons and Equipment
Item Cost Damage Critical Range Weight Type/Note
Wheel Lock Pistol 350gp 1d10 X3 75ft 6lbs Piercing, Reload,2 Hands
Wheel Lock Musket 650gp 1d12 X3 125ft 8lbs Piercing, Reload,2 Hands
Wheel Lock Rifle 700gp 2d6 X3 200ft 10lbs Piercing, Reload,2 Hands
Flintlock Pistol 250gp 1d10 X3 75ft 6lbs Piercing, Reload,2 Hands
Flintlock Musket 500gp 1d12 X3 125ft 8lbs Piercing, Reload,2 Hands
Flintlock Rifle 550gp 2d6 X3 200ft 10lbs Piercing, Reload,2 Hands
Blunderbuss (pistol) 250gp 2d4* X3 40ft 8lbs Piercing, Reload,2 Hands
Blunderbuss (musket) 500gp 3d4* X3 60ft 14lbs Piercing, Reload,2 Hands
Bullets (10) 3gp 2lbs
Shot (10 Shots) 3gp 3lbs F or BB
Shot Bag 15gp 1lbs Holds 100 Bullets+Tools
Gunpowder, Horn 35gp 2lbs 10 shots
Gunpowder, Keg 250gp 20lbs 100 shots/10 Horns
Hand Bomb 150gp 3d6 10-60ft 2lbs 5ftRad
Cultural Levels
Cultural Level Approximate Historical Setting
CL 1 Stone Age 10,000-5,000 B.C.
CL 2 Bronze Age 5,000-2,500 B.C.
CL 3 Iron Age 2,500-1 B.C.
CL 4 Classical 1-500 A.D.
CL 5 Dark Age 500-800 A.D.
CL 6 Early Medieval (1E-3E) 800-1,200 A.D.
CL 7 Medieval (2E-5E) 1,200-1,400 A.D.
CL 8 Chivalric (2E-5E)(Early Firearms) 1,400-1,550 A.D.
CL 9 Renissance (5E+)(Firearms/Clockworks) 1,550-1,700 A.D.
Bibliography
*2 Ed. Ad&d “Domains of Dread”
*DNDSPEAK D100 Darklords PDF
*Van Richtens Arsenal Vol. 1
*2 Ed. “Realms of Terror: Boxed Set”
*2 Ed. “Ravenloft Dungeon Masters Guide”
*2 Ed. “Ravenloft Dms Screen” (Weapons and Equipment) (Fear Checks)
*Haven TV Series
*Ravenloft Ruleset PDF
*5 Ed. Dungeon Masters Guides
*5 Ed. Players Handbook
*3 Ed. Ravenloft Campaign Setting